Rodney Margison Photography

Mentoring Creatively

2009-05-12T21:24:00.008-04:00

Tonight I attended the end-of-year reception for the Creative Mentoring Program in Brown County. This is the 10th year for the program, the brainchild of Beth Mathers, that matches local artists and artisans with junior and senior high school students with a passion for learning.

I was asked mid-school year if I would be willing to be a mentor and I jumped at the opportunity. Most of the mentors had been working with their students since September, so we had only half the time that most of the other groups had in which to learn.

I was blessed with two wonderful mentoring students, Celine and Katelyn, and a third, Stacie, a friend of Celine's who was interested in photography but didn't formally join the program.

We jumped right in with all the exciting stuff they needed to know: Shutter speeds, f/stops, ISO, depth-of-field, composition, and more. But they clung on to every word I spoke. I was amazed!

When the weather finally was nice enough that we could get outside, I turned the three of them loose with Nikon DSLRs that they never dreamed they would ever learn to use. They took right to the cameras, however, and showed me that they had, in fact, been listening to what I was trying to teach them.

It was fun to watch them work as we walked around Nashville each week. Each of the three had a very unique vision and I enjoyed learning from them as much as they said they did from me.

It's unfortunate that tonight was the last night for this year's program, but I'm excited that all three of my kids want to continue learning from me. So for as long as they're around town this summer, we're going to keep meeting once a week. I'm thrilled!

I encourage everyone, no matter what your craft or skill, to take some time out of your life each week and pass along some of your knowledge to the younger generation. It's an amazingly rewarding opportunity.

Senior Portrait Time Again!

2008-10-08T15:39:00.009-04:00

Is it really October already? A quick look outside reveals leaves that are starting to change colors and a nip in the air, so it must be.

And that can only mean one thing ... SENIOR PORTRAITS!

Book your senior portrait session soon, because with any October senior session, you get a FREE slideshow movie to put on your iPod or other video player and to share with your friends.

That's a $15 value for nothing!

Call today to make your appointment ... 812-345-8435.

Class of '08: Last-Minute Senior Portraits

2008-04-30T21:47:00.006-04:00

If procrastination were a class, you'd probably be getting an 'A.' That is, if you got up in time to make it to class.

But seriously, if you've put off having your senior portraits taken and realize that you're about ready to walk across the stage and grab your sheepskin, all is not lost.

Call now for a last-minute appointment and receive your print order back in time to still throw some in with all those graduation invitations you need to send out.

Sittings start at $60 and max out at $130, so money shouldn't be a reason why you didn't get your senior portraits made. Prices include both indoor and outdoor settings and 2 to 8 different changes of clothing, depending on the sitting you choose.

Call (812) 345-8435 to make an appointment and receive 96 wallets for the price of 64 when you place your print order. That's a savings of $13 over the regular price of $65!

And hey, try to not put this off any longer.

St. X Magazine Cover

2008-04-23T22:43:00.003-04:00

Last August, I had the fantastic opportunity to return to Kentucky Speedway to photograph the Indy Racing League and Indy Pro Series races there.

It had been several years since I'd shot motorsports and, fortunately, it didn't take long for me to feel like I was back in the saddle.

I took the assignment to accompany my good friend Mark Motz, director of publications and communications for St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati and editor of the school's alumni magazine.

Brad Jaeger, a graduate of the private Jesuit school, is a professional racer in the Indy Pro Series and was racing on what would be considered his home track, located only an hour or so south of the Queen City.

Mark, with whom I worked at the daily Times-Tribune newspaper in Corbin, Kentucky, many years ago, was doing a story on Jaeger, giving us an opportunity to work together at a race track one more time.

The magazine was published a few months ago, but I hadn't seen a copy until last weekend. I'm proud to have the cover and a nice set of images played very prominently on the inside of this beautiful magazine.

Mark does great work at St. X and I look forward to working with him again soon.

As for Jaeger, he's no longer racing in the Indy Pro Series. He moved up to the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, driving for the famed Doran Racing team. Brad is piloting the No. 77 Kodak Ford Dallara along with Memo Gidley.

Perhaps a trip to the Rolex 24 at Daytona will be in my future next year?

Coming Soon – PROM NIGHT!

2008-04-20T22:28:00.008-04:00

Prom night for Brown County High School will be Friday, May 9, and have we got a deal for you!

Why settle for the "cookie-cutter" approach to prom photos when you can have custom portraits made that will set you apart from everyone else.

Our studio will be open before the prom from 3 to 6 p.m. for walk-in portraits of you, your date, your friends and even your parents. No appointment is necessary and you are guaranteed once-in-a-lifetime portraits.

As an added incentive, we're offering your sitting for $5 off our regular price of $30. Take advantage of this offer by downloading a coupon here.

Before you leave our studio, you will be given a Web link and a password that will allow you to pick and choose the poses you want to order beginning Monday morning, May 12.

So, mark your calendar NOW and we'll see you before the prom!

I'm Back ... Again

2008-04-18T01:50:00.006-04:00

Okay, so it's only taken 10 months for me to find it in myself to blog again. I'm not sure what that says about me, but much has changed since last June, all for the positive.

In September, I began renting studio space in downtown Nashville where this photography business now calls home. It's on the third floor of the very historic Village Green Building, less than a block west of the Brown County Courthouse on Main Street. My lease limits the walk-in-off-the-street business I can have, which works out great for me since working full-time at the newspaper keeps me from being in the studio on a regular basis.

Since opening the studio, however, I've kept very busy. And having a new set of Alien Bee AB-800 studio strobes to work with is making the process of creating portraits so much easier.

I've also launched a monthly e-mail newsletter for former, current and future customers and others interested in what we're doing with the studio. For a look at issue No. 1 click here. To subscribe, e-mail me here. We'll also be sending out special offers on prints, sitting fees and more every now and then.

So I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that I can keep this up now. The third time is a charm, right? In the next few days I'll post some photos from a few of the more memorable studio sittings we've done.

Until then ...

Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby

2007-06-10T23:52:00.000-04:00

Today, Bryton turned a year old.

He is the son of Linda's cousin, whom we've become foster aunt and uncle to. He was born six weeks premature and was his mom's first successful pregnancy in five. He is our miracle.

A Backyardigans-themed party was held at Mill Race Park in Columbus, Indiana, and despite his youth, he seemed to have a real fun time. He received a lot of gifts and was shown tons of love.

Happy Birthday, Bryton, with all our love! Here's to many, many more!

Ahh ... My Couch

2007-06-03T23:06:00.000-04:00

Home sweet home.

It was another fulfilling day that all of us enjoyed, but it sure feels good to be back home, relaxing on my couch and watching television.

Today we took in the the U.S. Air Force Museum located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. It was an amazing sight to see – three, huge hangers filled with military aircraft dating back to the origin of flight all the way through the Stealth Fighter and Bomber. There is even a section dedicated to spaceflight.

While I have never had any obsessions with either flying or military, I have always been fascinated with aircraft and today's trip was very satisfying.

We left Dayton after spending about four hours at the museum and were home by 8 p.m. I have lots of photos to go download and go through, which I'll add at a later time. For now, unfortunately, it's back to the newspaper grind and a state of being pretty much miserable for everyone.

Fun times.

A Whole Lotta Drivin' Goin' On

2007-06-02T21:19:00.000-04:00

I'm tired. Really tired. So tired that last night's blog entry was made in between catnaps at the laptop. I've rejuvenated somewhat, but we spent more than six hours in the car today as we departed New York and wound up in Dayton, Ohio. Since leaving the house on Wednesday evening we've traveled a little more than 1,000 miles. Ugh!

We are here because we couldn't, at first, find anything else to do today. We knew we had to head toward home, but our options from there didn't provide much excitement. Finally, Linda suggested we head toward Dayton where tomorrow we can visit the museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

All in all, this has been a successful vacation. Both boys have used the word "magnificent" to describe it, so I'm pretty sure we've done something right.

Some random thoughts and observations:

Pennsylvania smells nice. At least, the part where we drove did. Occasionally, and for no determinable reason, we would pass through an area lasting about a mile that smelled incredibly floral ... Mild and soothing.
Parts of Cleveland stink. While walking several blocks toward Quicken Arena in downtown Cleveland, there were two or three points where the sewage aroma was overwhelming.
Cleveland has successfully overcome its "mistake on the lake" syndrome. It's a nice city, full of very helpful and friendly people.
Gas prices in Indiana are criminal. When we left, regular unleaded was going for around $3.50 a gallon. We filled up in Columbus, Ohio, on the way north and it was around $3.10/gal. and some places in Cleveland had it for under $3.05. Depending on where one was in Buffalo, a gallon of gas was $3.079 to $3.229, and several stations along I-90 in Pennsylvania today had it for $2.999. We filled up here in Dayton at $3.049 and then found it a couple of miles away for $3.019. Hoosiers are getting ripped off, plain and simple.
Canadians have cool currency. The $5, $10 and $20 bills are neat looking and it was kinda strange getting Canadian money from of an ATM (called ABMs there). The $2 coin is awesome, too.
Zach likes sushi. He'd never eaten it before, but was curious. He talked us into letting him get some at a multi-cultural cafeteria in Canada and really enjoyed it. More power to him.
Wireless Internet is the berries! Yes, I'm spoiled. Being able to carry a laptop throughout a hotel and stay "connected" is awesome!
My family is awesome! I can't imagine doing anything important without having them along to share my excitement with. I couldn't be more proud of any of them!

Sadly, this is the last entry before we get home. Hopefully, we won't confront any surprises when we pull in the driveway or walk in the door tomorrow. Then it's back to the daily grind on Monday. But not before blogging about tomorrow's visit to the Wright-Patterson museum.

Oh, Canada

2007-06-01T23:51:00.000-04:00

Yet another jam-packed day of vacation is now behind us and we are all about spent.

Our morning began casually as we took full advantage of the hotel's free continental breakfast then headed out to Niagara Falls.

The temperature outside was a little cooler than it had been the past couple of days as there was quite a bit of cloud cover. Thunderstorms threatened, but we experienced only light sprinkles occasionally. By late afternoon/early evening, the sun shone and blue sky appeared.

We began our Day 3 adventure on Goat Island, on the United States side of the Falls, where we walked out to Luna Island and stood between American Falls and the much smaller Bridal Veil Falls.

At the U.S. overlook for Horseshoe Falls, we realized just how much bigger it was than American Falls. Utterly amazing.

Once we tired of there, we headed to Canada, giving us a much better view of both falls and our third country in the past 53 weeks.

Oddly, after all the hoops we had to go through to get proper identification for the boys in order to cross the border, all they needed was their state-issued photo ID. At least we have everything now, though.

The view from the Canadian side was nothing short of magnificent. Anyone who goes to the falls and doesn't take in that view is truly missing out on something. Seeing them from Canada puts them in a whole new perspective.

Tomorrow is a mystery as we have no clue where we're headed. We purposefully did not reserve a hotel room anywhere in order that we might just wing it. Maybe we'll end up in Pittsburgh, perhaps in Columbus (Ohio) or Cincinnati. Or we may just end up going straight home.

I guess we'll just play it by ear from here on out.

Rock On! or Shufflin' Off to Buffalo

2007-05-31T23:36:00.000-04:00

Wow ... what a day!

We awoke fairly early for a vacation day and headed to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, our primary destination for this leg of our trip. We arrived there around 10:30 a.m., 1/2 hour after it opened. Unfortunately, they don't allow photographs to be taken inside the Hall, other than in the lobby.

On the way, we were fortunate enough to see several 10-foot-tall Fender Stratocaster Guitars that were part of a 2004 United Way fundraising campaign. Sponsors underwrote artists who created custom designs for the guitars, which were then on display throughout downtown Cleveland, including inside our hotel and at the Hall of Fame.

We photographed as many as we could find, including this one of a peacock with the boys beside it.

The Hall of Fame was truly unbelievable. It was amazing to me to see the artifacts of the rock legends, along with the stories about how they got where they did in their careers. Perhaps most impressive was how their stories humanized them, reminding me that they were, at some point, just regular people, and how many of them never lost touch with that side of their pasts.

The boys were equally impressed, what with their musical talent and hopes for their futures. I don't think anything we can do from here can surpass Cleveland in their eyes.

After leaving the Hall, we headed to Quicken Arena, home of the Cleveland Caveliers NBA basketball team, where we promised Tyler–perhaps the biggest LeBron James fan in Indiana–we would let him go the Cavs' gift shop. Unfortunately, Cleveland was playing AT Detroit, not at home, in game five of the conference finals. At Jacobs Field next door, though, the baseball Indians were hosting the Tigers, but we didn't attend.

After that, we hopped on the Interstate and shuffled off to Buffalo, where we are now. We stopped at a Burger King in Erie, Pennsylvania, for a quick dinner and arrived at the Days Inn by Buffalo International Airport right around 11 p.m.

Both the fitness center and the indoor pool were open until midnight, so we headed there for some relaxation from all the driving. Tomorrow we head 25 miles to Niagara Falls and then we'll pop into Canada for a quick visit. It promises to be another fun-filled day!

Cleveland Rocks!

2007-05-30T23:33:00.000-04:00

At least, we hope it does.

After a little bit more than six hours on the road, we've arrived at our vacation destination. Why Cleveland, you ask? Well ...

Originally, we anticipated a return trip to Los Angeles, leaving as we did last year on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and returning one week later. But when Brown County Schools added two days to the end of the school year–meaning they had to be in class the two days after Memorial Day–we had to punt.

And the boys, when asked if it was ok to not go to L.A. this year, replied, "Does this mean we can go to Cleveland?"

So, here we are.

Our primary destination here is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where we will go tomorrow. Meanwhile, we're in our room at the Crowne Plaza City Centre, less than a half-mile from both the Hall and Lake Erie.

And The Winner Is ...

2006-12-05T15:35:00.000-05:00

My newspaper, the Brown County Democrat, fared rather well at the Hoosier State Press Association Foundation 2006 Better Newspaper Contest on Saturday, December 2.

We won 19 awards, including five first-place plaques and both the Photo of the Year and Story of the Year for our division.

In addition, we received second-place in General Excellence among large, non-daily newspapers in the state.

I had my hand in 12 of those 19 awards, including eight for my photography. The remaining four were:

• 2nd place, Community Service (with staff writer Jonathan Hiskes);
• 2nd place, Best Ongoing News Coverage (with editor and wife Linda Margison);
• 3rd place, Best Sports Event Coverage;
• 3rd place, Best Online Web Site.

Below are my photos that won awards:

1st Place – Best Sports Action Photo/Photo of the Year Finalist – Div. 2

Brown County's Molly Fox, left, and Kim Clark, right, chase after a loose ball against a pair of Indian Creek players on Thursday, February 2. Fox scored 21 points and Clark had 17 in the Lady Eagles' 73-62 win. (Photo by Rodney A. Margison – © Brown County Democrat)

1st Place – Best General News Photo

Members of the Brown County Lions Club, sponsor of the annual Spring Blossom Parade through Nashville, carry their giant United States flag near the end of the parade on Saturday, May 6. (Photo by Rodney A. Margison – © Brown County Democrat)

3rd Place – Best General News Photo

U.S. Army Sergeant First Class (retired) Carl Olney, of Brown County, salutes while a bugler plays "Taps" during a Veterans Day ceremony at the Brown County Courthouse on Friday, November 11. Sgt. Olney, who also serves in the National Guard, is framed by a wreath placed on the Veterans Memorial outside the building. (Photo by Rodney A. Margison – © Brown County Democrat)

1st Place – Best Feature Photo

Frank Jones releases Francis, a red-tailed hawk that he rescued from the side of the road on November 30, 2005. After more than three months of treatment and rehabilitation for a broken pelvis, Francis was returned to the wild on Friday, March 3, behind the Brown County YMCA, near the area where Mr. Jones found her. (Photo by Rodney A. Margison – © Brown County Democrat)

2nd Place – Best Feature Photo

Jim Stahlhut, of Franklin, uses the golden early morning sunlight to illuminate the House of the Singing Winds, the subject he chose to paint in the Great Outdoor Art Contest at T.C. State Historic Site in Belmont. Mr. Stahlhut, who was painting with oils, was one of numerous participants in the event held Saturday, September 10, as part of the Brown County Art Renaissance. (Photo by Rodney A. Margison – © Brown County Democrat)

1st Place – Best Multiple Picture Group

More than 100 people assembled Sunday, August 14, at a farm pond on a hill, nearly a mile off Grandview Ridge Road in southern Brown County, to give themselves to Jesus Christ. Sponsored by Harmony Baptist Church, the participants, from all religious backgrounds, gathered for food, fellowship and to experience the spirit of the Lord in "that good old way," through outdoor water baptism. (Photo by Rodney A. Margison – © Brown County Democrat)

3rd Place – Best Multiple Picture Group

Brown County Sheriff Robert "Buck" Stogsdill and seven of his officers conducted a surprise drug raid near this residence on Sweetwater Trail Tuesday afternoon, October 25. The remnants of a clandestine methamphetamine lab were seized by the officers, but because no one was at the residence, no arrests were made. (Photos by Rodney A. Margison – © Brown County Democrat)

A New Beginning

2006-09-28T22:18:00.000-04:00

Welcome! Today the remodeled Web site RodneyMargison.com went live, along with a renewed plan for future endeavors.

While I certainly don't have any intention of giving up my day job, I hope to build on the extensive experience I've gained in my career to branch out as a freelancer on the side. This means increasing my wedding and portrait business and, more importantly, taking on additional freelance gigs for magazines and the like.

I'm also building my stock library through PhotoShelter with photos I've taken in my free time as well as a lifetime of saleable images.

Thanks for looking, reading and caring. Please browse my Web site and let me know what you think. And look for more improvements in the near future, along with additional blog entries.

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The End Is Near!

2006-09-21T14:47:00.000-04:00

Here sit I, tap-tap-tapping out yet another in an inconsistent series of entries on my life, my family, my community.

But I’m tired … tired of writing, tired of thinking, tired of caring about anything more than my family and photography.

This is my swansong as far as the emphasis of this blog is concerned. I am, first and foremost, a father, then a husband and thirdly a photographer. And that, my friends, is my renewed focus.

Out the window with the tribulations I suffered while attempting to find just the right name for this blog. Off with the heads of government officials who have wronged rights. Yadda, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah ... blech!

In with family, fun and photographs. And, hopefully, a renewed interest in keeping this updated. Perhaps, down the road, I can turn it in to a “picture-a-day” type of blog, too. We’ll see.

Meanwhile, sit back and let’s enjoy this ride together. And if you have any suggestions on what name to give this blog, e-mail me here and we’ll see what comes up.

Thanks!

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It's been a long time since I ...

2006-02-26T08:39:00.000-05:00

... wrote in my blog.

Almost 10 months, in fact. I suppose it's time to start doing this again.

So let this serve as the ice-breaker. I don't have much to write about, but at least I'm writing. Hopefully, I will continue to want to do this.

We'll see.

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Life in a Small Town

2005-04-28T22:12:00.001-05:00

Living in Nashville, Indiana, has tremendous benefits, many of which, however, are also its drawbacks.

I can't recall the last time I went to the grocery store and didn't see someone I knew (store employees notwithstanding). And it is impossible to walk down the sidewalk without repeatedly lifting an arm to wave at a familiar passing motorists or pedestrian.

Because of this camaraderie, citizens here both celebrate each others' victories and mourn their losses.

Today we mourn.

Gregg Watson wanted to do something for the kids around here -- something to get them off the street and into a clean, caring, Christian environment. So he acquired the property that once housed a car dealership and built a miniature golf course. He lined the walls inside the former showroom with video games and placed pool tables throughout, then named his new business The Victory Family Fun Center.

The location was ideal -- just blocks from schools and near a part of town used as a hangout by several of the community's youth most in need of such an opportunity. Instantly, the Family Fun Center was a hit and it has survived for nearly six years.

Unfortunately, Gregg Watson didn't. The man who loved kids and loved giving them pieces -- chunks -- of his life in order to improve their own, became the victim of perhaps the most bizarre accident I've ever known of.

On Tuesday evening this week, Gregg was helping coach a youth basketball practice at Van Buren Elementary School. At one point, he was running down the court backward, in front of and coaching a player running forward. Gregg tripped, fell back, struck his head on the hard gymnasium floor and fractured his skull, causing irreversable damage to his brain stem.

We heard the ambulance get dispatched on the police scanner that night. The dispatcher told EMS that bystanders were performing rescue breathing to assist the victim's labored respirations. Later that night, Linda said, "You realize, don't you, that whoever that was, we probably know them?" It wasn't until the next afternoon, however, that I learned it was Gregg.

I was shocked, to say the least. He was one of those people you saw around town three or four times a week, always greeting each other by name. Occasionally, the meeting would result in a short conversation, but most of the time he was in a hurry deliver lunch to someone in town. Regardless, he always brought a smile to your face with his highly contagious energy and enthusiasm.

This afternoon, countless notes of support were taped to the front doors of the Fun Center and displays of flowers lay scattered on the walk before them. Tonight, several candles stood lit in a tribute to Gregg and what he meant to our community.

I hope people who pass by the display will have reason to look inside their own hearts and realize the light that Gregg ignited in everyone he touched. And may we always be aware of how fragile our own lives are and how quickly our loved ones might be taken away from us -- or us from them -- and live accordingly.

Godspeed, Gregg. Godspeed.

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Just Pastoring Through

2005-04-13T21:57:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, the entire congregation of the Nashville United Methodist Church will find out what some others of us have only recently learned.

Our pastor is leaving.

The decision to depart isn't his, mind you, but that of the Bishop and a committee of District Superintendents. It is,unfortunately, a normal occurence in the United Methodist faith.

Tom came to our church about four years ago from Bloomington, where he was an associate pastor. The single father was very amicable and had a fantastic rapport with the younger generation of our congregation, my family included.

Since moving to Brown County, Tom has been an active participant in his sons' school and sports activities, unlike many parents these days. Our congregation has grown significantly under his leadership, and for that we are grateful.

Now we must trust God to direct the leadership in our area to deliver us someone who will be as successful as Tom has been. My concerns, however, are many.

While I do put all my faith in Him, the Bishop and District Superintendents, I fail to appreciate the need for these moves.

Ultimately, I am happy for Tom. This certainly means that his work here has not gone unnoticed. If there is another congregation with needs similar to the ones ours had before he arrived, he is certain to meet them head-on, succesfully.

Often, the right thing to do is the uncomfortable thing. I wish Tom, Manuel and José all the best in Evansville.

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What's in a Name? ... Reprise

2005-04-07T16:49:00.000-05:00

For the final time, the name of this blog has changed.

I wasn't real pleased with Messenger in the name, but at the time, it was the best I could do. And I was hell-bent on changing it from Observer before much more time had passed.

But I believe Hill Country Sentinel to be much more accurate, especially in my role as a full-time journalist who firmly believes in the role of the press as watchdogs -- or sentinels -- of government.

Concurrently, as a husband and father, I believe my role to naturally be as guardian to my family.

Hence the name Hill Country Sentinel.

So again, please join me in tossing out the old name in order that I make room for the new. And welcome to the Hill Country Sentinel.

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What's in a Name?

2005-04-05T21:29:00.000-05:00

As a photographer and writer, I appreciate the value of protecting the rights to intellectual property. Copyrights, trademarks and other forms of piracy prophylaxis exist for a purpose.

The fact that I chose Hill Country Observer as the original title for this blog was not something I took lightly. I weighed heavily the implications of the words and how they reflected what I anticipated this publication to be.

But in my consideration, I failed to determine conclusively whether someone, somewhere, already held the rights to the name. I recently stumbled upon other references to Hill Country Observer as used for the apparent title of a publication. As a result, I've opted to discontinue its use.

Instead, this blog has been renamed Hill Country Messenger. While I don't feel it describes my intent as accurately as the site's maiden name, it still summarizes my purpose.

Therefore, out with the old and ... well, you know the rest. Welcome, then, to the Hill Country Messenger.

Enjoy.

Another April 3

2005-04-03T20:17:00.000-05:00

For whatever reason, the third of April has repeatedly provided me with some type of bad experience.

Call it fate, bad karma or just a more intimate awareness of incidents occuring on this date. But since 1974, oddly bad things have happened either to me or around me.

The first was a series of tornados 31 years ago on this date, which doubles as my half-birthday, if there is such a thing. The twisters tore apart the state of Indiana, including three that passed just south of my southern Bartholomew County home. While my elementary school put us on buses for home in the midst of a hailstorm, our neighbors stood and watched the three tornados from their picture window.

Since then, it's been odd. I recall receiving an injury at some point in my childhood on April 3. There was a tragic accident in Madison, Indiana, on that date, prior to my arrival, however. And peculiar little things, like running out of gas, having a utility shut off and some things too personal to share.

Lately, I've felt that the "jinx," if you care to call it that, has been lifted, though. Thinking back over the last few April Thirds, I don't remember much bad happening. Today was, for the most part, one of those.

After church and lunch, I took Zach fishing at Bear Lake, in northwestern Brown County. If the day were measured by the fishing success, it would be a failure. But it isn't, and wasn't. We had a wonderful time, despite nary a nibble. But being outside on such a beautiful day with my youngest son -- on my half-birthday, nonetheless -- was a terrific treat.

I'm so glad that Zach enjoys fishing. I'm happy to find anything he enjoys doing, and even more so to participate in it with him.

On the downside, a horrific trend continued in our county today.

Last year, seven of 11 traffic fatalities in this small community were motorcyclists, drawn to the twisting, winding roads that allow them to challenge their bike riding skills on sunny spring, summer and autumn days.

Today, another biker lost his life by driving recklessly and out of control. I don't know any other details at this point, but I did go out to photograph it for the newspaper. CPR was performed at the scene, but once EMS arrived, it was determined that the injuries were mortal.

I don't know what can be done about this terrible trend. We've tried to cover the fatalities as much as possible, hoping that riders would learn the danger lurking around every sharp curve. But that's not doing the job.

For me, it just adds to the April 3 mystery. I wish I understood it better.

Bowling in Bloomington

2005-04-02T23:51:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, this has been one of the more relaxing weekends I've had in a while ... so far.

Last night, Friday, we were going to stay in, order a pizza and watch movies. But Loretta (Linda's sister) called and invited us to go bowling in Bloomington with her and Jacob. So we did.

The first place we went was called Suburban Bowling. Unfortunately, they had at least three lanes that weren't working and it was going to be at least a half hour, if not longer before we could bowl. The guy working there told us that our next best bet would be the Student Union at Indiana University. He even called over there to see how busy they were. Nice guy.

We got the the Union found the bowling lanes and had a blast. Around 8 p.m. they turned the lights off and we bowled by black light -- cosmic bowling, some places call it.

I won both games, though it wasn't as much a competition between us as it was me trying to see how well I could do. I had a 129 in the first game and really got it in gear in the second -- nailing three strikes and a pair of spares in the middle five frames -- before slacking off and finishing with a 133.

Zach came back strong in the second game, too. He had a 33 in the first but wound up with a 67 in the second. He really enjoys bowling, too.

Tyler didn't go with us, however. He went to a friend's house after school and spent the night. I hate that he isn't around to participate in family activities much anymore, but realize, too, that it's all part of the growing up process.

After bowling we went to Fazoli's for a late dinner. It was nice just to get out and do something different for a change.

Today was suppose to be the start of high school baseball and softball season, but last night's rain took care of that.

Both teams were to play doubleheaders at home, the inaugural games on the diamonds. I went out there just in case, but there was no sign of life. Now I just have to figure out what to put on my sports page Monday.

Tomorrow is suppose to be real nice out, too. I think I might take Zach and go fishing. I owe him that from a few weeks ago when I did something -- I don't recall what -- with Tyler. I'm glad Zach likes to fish. He's so self-conscious and aware of how high and low his self-esteem is. It makes me feel good to help him do things he enjoys.

Maybe this time out I'll actually catch something.

Fishing, finally

2005-03-30T11:41:00.000-05:00

Today, for the first time since well before Linda's surgery at the end of August, I went fishing.

I was a little disappointed.

I probably should have left work earlier, or just not gone at all. But it was such a beautiful day -- sunny sky, temperature in the 70s -- that I really felt the urge to fish.

So I ran by home to get my gear, then to the bait and tackle shop for my 2005 license, then to the lake. Or a lake.

My first choice was Ogle Lake, in Brown County State Park. It was close by and, being limited on time, seemed convenient. But north entrance to the park was closed, so I had to backtrack to the west gate. Then the road to Ogle Lake itself was closed for construction, so I punted and chose Lake Strahl, the only other fishable body of water in the park.

It amazes me still how many people come to our park to picnic and enjoy nature, even during a cool spring break. The area around Lake Strahl was packed with people. It appeared as though some sort of family reunion was taking place and those who weren't eating seemed to be either fishing or walking (loudly) around the lake.

Because of the large crowd, I opted to carry in just a couple of small tackle cases and a lightweight rod/reel combo. Once at my destination, however, I realized that I hadn't even remembered to wear my hat or new polarized sunglasses.

Finally, there appeared to be no fish in Strahl Lake. Of course, I don't always fish to catch fish, but rather to enjoy the time alone and outdoors. It could have been better, though, if I hadn't had to jump through so many hoops in order to get going.

Maybe tomorrow?

Be It Ever So Humble

2005-03-27T19:23:00.000-05:00

We're home -- the vacation is over.

I enjoyed this trip, but it was a lot more stressful than I expected. I realize that I brought some of it on myself, but certainly not all. I'm just glad to be back.

Saturday was a very eventful day. We spent Friday night at The Old Schoolhouse Inn in Benham. It was exactly what its name implied.

Formerly the community school, the building now houses a fine hotel. Guests enter through the main entrance of the school and walk down the locker-lined hallway to their rooms, which are half a classroom each. Ours featured a pair of cherry sleigh beds with matching cherry furnishings. It was quite elegant.

Saturday's continental breakfast left a little to be desired, namely, more food. Still, it was better than the non-existant contintental breakfast at the Sheraton Suites in Lexington.

After eating and checking out, we took in the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum across the street. We easily spent three hours there, taking in all four floors of information and displays. In the basement was a mock coal mine, complete with four-foot ceiling. A volunteer at the museum provides a guided tour of the mock mine, which was fascinating to the kids as well as Linda and I.

We departed the museum for Lynch, Kentucky, just up the road from Benham, where a retired mine exists. In the works is a project to open Portal 31 to tourism, using robotics to demonstrate and explain the process of coal mining.

Though the mine itself was not yet open to the public, much of the grounds outside the mine was and was included in a self-guided walking tour of the area. It was really impressive, seeing how mining was such a lifestyle for the people of that era.

Portal 31 was our final tourist destination of the trip, so we loaded up and headed up the highway, through Cumberland, Harlan and Pineville to some of our old stomping ground in Barbourville and Corbin. We spent last night at the Fairfield Inn in Corbin, with an indoor pool and hot tub and a fine continental breakfast this morning.

We departed Corbin without any sightseeing around 10:45 this morning and arrived home safely this evening.

Like I said, it was a fun trip, a nice trip, but an exhausting trip. We've discussed going back to that region near the end of May, but basing ourselved in Corbin and taking day-trips from there. We'll see.

From Lexington to Letcher

2005-03-26T18:19:00.000-05:00

Ahhh … how did we live before the Internet? I write this from Benham, Kentucky, in Harlan County, middle-of-nowhere. There are access numbers for the city of Harlan, but that apparently is a long-distance call from here. And at 50 cents a minute, it’s not worth the long distance fees to post from here.

So this entry is being composed off-line and will be posted when the opportunity presents itself.

Our first full day of vacationing was Thursday of this week, and wasn’t much like a vacation. We took the boys (and ourselves) to what we consider the best bookstore ever, Joseph-Beth in Lexington. They’re still in the same general area, but in a new specific location from when we lived in the vicinity a dozen or so years ago. The boys were pretty impressed, being connoisseurs of booksellers themselves.

We backed that up by heading to Barnes and Noble for comparison. There was none.

After several other stops, the highlight of the day (for me, at least) finally came to fruition. Mary, who I worked with at the newspaper in Corbin, and her daughter, Brianna, met us for dinner at Damon’s. Mark came down from Cincinnati and we all had a terrific time. It was amazing seeing the interaction between Tyler and Bri, as if they’d been raised together and had been friends for life. I’m glad that they’re forging a friendship.

As we were preparing to check out of the Sheraton, I found myself questioning the basis for awarding stars to hotels. While the Sheraton was very nice, it lacked in many areas. Perhaps we’re just not high-society travelers, but things like complimentary continental breakfasts and in-house snack machines for guests would be a nice addition. Maybe it would bump them from three-and-a-half stars to four if they added those amenities?

Yesterday, Friday, we drove to Letcher County where we took the “scenic” route through Blackey and Roxana en route to Whitesburg. Linda took tons of photos along the way, building inspiration needed to finish her book. After dinner at the Pine Mountain Grill on the edge of town, we headed over the mountain (no exaggeration) and wound up here, in Benham, home of the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum – our destination in a few minutes.

All in all, it’s been a fun trip. Despite the insistence of others in our family, I’ve been pretty relaxed through it all. You just can’t believe everything they say. Also on tap for today is a trip to Portal 31, a renovated deep mine near Lynch, just up the road. It’s also part of the museum, and should give us an opportunity to go in and see what it was like in the mines. I think Tyler could take it or leave it, but Zach is quite excited about it.

After that, I think we’re heading toward Corbin for the night, though we might just head for home. We’re sort of winging a lot of this trip, which is kind of cool. Either way, I should get this posted by tonight sometime and be able to log another entry.

Until then …

Arrival

2005-03-23T23:37:00.000-05:00

We finally got out of Nashville and made it to our hotel in Lexington, Ky., after stops at Burger King in Columbus, Wal Mart in Seymour and the Citgo gas station and truck stop at the Waddy/Peytona exit off I-64 between Louisville and Frankfort.

The hotel is Sheraton Suites, and awesome. It's a 3-1/2 star facility, which is probably two more stars than I'm used to. We have a two-room suite on the fourth floor. Unfortunately, we're on the opposite side of the hallway as those rooms with balconies overlooking the French Quarter themed lobby. We do have a view of the outdoor swimming pool, which is covered and closed for the season.

Our trip was rather uneventful, short of the longer-than-expected time shopping at the Wal Mart. We had to purchase some type of carrying object for the kitten, which made the trip with us, to disguise her in places where she might not be welcome (Sheraton Suites?).

Currently, Linda is enjoying a jacuzzi bath and the boys are playing video games. There's a television in both rooms, so she and I won't have to be bothered by their choices in video entertainment.

That's about it for now. I believe it's my turn in the jacuzzi. We don't have anything concrete planned for tomorrow other than a dinner date with our friend Mary and her daughter Brianna.

Until then ...

A Vacation?

2005-03-23T16:47:00.000-05:00

Isn't it peculiar how much work one has to get done in order to take time off work?

As our family prepares to depart on a small vacation to finish off spring break week, I find myself doing twice the work. Isn't that more akin to cramming for final exams than a vacation?

Anyway, I have started this blog to share some of my thoughts and adventures. It's taken a few weeks to get everything pretty much where I want it on this page, so the slate is clean and I can write.

Hopefully, I'll even have guest bloggers from time to time, who will share some of their thoughts on life's events.

So, let the trip begin!